To Save A Galaxy
by i-defy-fate
Summary: 'Looking back...I want to change things. explore all the love I could have had. be with the ones I cared for most. I guess I got my wish' OOC Shepard . Shepard/Harem! John/Miranda/Aria/Jack/Liara/Benezia . LEMONS in later chapters! Enjoy! FIRST HAREM FIC!


**To Save a Galaxy**

_By: i-defy-fate_

**Summary:** John Shepard, an alliance N7 Marine and council Specter. After arriving on the crucible and dealing with the illusive man. The Catalyst, an ancient A.I. that controls the Reapers, gives John the chance to end the cycle. But, what if, as the Commander was firing on the choice to destroy the reapers, John is sent back in time? Will he be able to save everyone he cares about or will he fail to protect what matters most?

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

**Reapers or EDI**

**I DON'T OWN THIS BITCH! ONLY THE PLOT LINE…damn…**

OoO

**AN: **Thanks people for coming to read my newest challenge. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. For those of you that are fans of my other works. I don't know when I will get another chapter out, but I have already said in another of my fics that I will not be setting due dates for chapters as they only put pressure on me and they will not be as good as I can make them.

Next on the agenda is the fact that I will be putting out the first chapter to all of the stories I've been working on before updating the others. (Except this one…maybe.)

And lastly, I love reviews. All authors love reviews. I myself love both good and bad reviews as it tells me what they don't like and what I should probably put more effort into to make the story likable. I also encourage my readers to give me critique on my writings as it also gives me info for me to look over.

So please, when making a review, tell me what you like and what you don't like.

**Extra note:** To Knightowl 4183 – I am working on the plot holes that I found in my next four chapters for my Vandread crossover so be patient with me.

**On with the story!**

**Earthborn/War hero/Soldier**

John Shepard looked to the one who had caused all of this. The reason for everything that been destroyed. The lives that have been lost. The civilizations of the past who were never give chance to truly thrive.

The Catalyst, a digital manifestation of a child who controls the reapers and begins the cycles, spoke with finality.

"Your time is at an end. You must decide."

John gave a snort in amusement as he began to walk toward his choice. "Time…Time is nothing but a hindrance to me. _Time_ prevented me from saving my friends. _Time_ prevented me from protecting my people. _Time_ prevented me from being able to prepare the galaxy for _your_ invasion."

He brought up his pistol and began to fire at his choice to destroy the reapers. The tube began to explode as John came closer and closer as he continued firing. His friends faces flashed through his mind. Anderson, Tali, Liara, Jack, Ashley, Miranda, Joker, Thane, Aria…

John gave himself a silent pat on the back. Seems most of his friends were female. Well there was Zaeed. _'That guy was a dick though.'_

As John moved up in his last paces to the exploding tube as he gave a small smile. _'What I would give to change that…'_ As he thought this the tube finally gave out and exploded. The fire consumed him and in a bright flash of light…

John Shepard was gone.

OoO

John shot up with an explosive gasp as he observed his surroundings. Standard Alliance issued bed, standard Alliance paint job for the walls and his N7 armor over in the corner.

…wait…what!?

He looked at the armor across from him as his mind whirled like a raging storm.

'_T-this is impossible. I haven't worn that armor since before…'_ John's eyes widened as he came to a realization. _'Since before the Eden Prime mission…but that was 4 years ago…did…did I come back?'_

Before he could think any more on the subject the personal announcement speaker on his night stand projected a voice.

"Commander. It's joker, you asked me to wake you up before we reached the mass relay sir."

John gave a grin at that voice. _'Joker…'_ "I appreciate it Joker. I only woke up a couple of minutes ago anyway."

"Roger that sir, we'll reach the relay point in approximately five minutes."

"Understood, thanks Joker."

John heard Joker chuckle before he spoke again. "You got it commander. See you in five."

Shepard heard the speaker click as it shut off before he went to freshen himself up with a shower. He stood under the water until he saw he had two minutes left. Shutting off the water and drying off as fast as he can, John placed his armor on with practiced ease.

He grabbed his weapons and placed them on the electro-magnetic pads that held them in place as he made his way to the elevator. The Lieutenant-Commander sighed as the elevator started moving. _'I forgot just how slow the elevator was.'_ And after what seemed like forever the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open to the command deck.

John's eyes swept the room on instinct. The days spent fighting war after war had trained him to do so even when surrounded by allies.

The Galaxy Map was stationed in the middle of the room with a platform extended in front of it to give it a tactical view. Surrounding the map is the Combat Information Center, aka the CIC, where there were a dozen monitors on either side of the map displaying information about the ship and the reaches of the system they were in at the moment.

The two men standing guard of the elevator yelled out. "Officer on deck!"

John watched the whole of the crew on the deck snap to attention and salutes him. "Sir!"

He gave them a salute as well before sounding amused. "At ease people, I'm not a politician." This brought on a round of chuckles before they went back to their duties.

Shepard then made his way to the cockpit where Joker and his co-pilot, Kaiden Alenko sat.

Joker hit a button to the side of his chair without looking and the PA system clicked on over the ship. _"The Arcturus Prime relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence."_

"_We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination."_

"_The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector."_

"_All stations secure for transit."_

As the SSV-Normandy began its approach to the mass relay the outer thrusters of the frigate folded themselves under the inner thrusters.

The screen in front of Joker that displayed the ship had icons that lit up green. _"Board is green. Approach run has begun."_

The Normandy swung around and made its way toward the back of the relay.

"_Hitting the relay in three…two…one…"_

The energy of the mass relay attached itself to the Normandy as the ship prepared to jump and in a flash of blue light, the Normandy was slingshot across the galaxy to their destination.

OoO

The Normandy popped back into existence as it emerged from slip-space.

Joker began going over his screens and different information as well as icons. "Thrusters…Check. Navigation…Check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift…Just under 1,500 K."

An alien behind him, standing next to Shepard, called a Turian, spoke monotone. "1,500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." He then made an about face before walking off towards the CIC.

Joker turned his head and watched as the Turian walked away before turning back to his screen with a slight scowl. "I hate that guy." His co-pilot turned his head toward Joker and spoke in slight amusement. "Nihlus gave you a compliment…so you hate him?"

Jokers scowl got bigger as he spoke with minor anger. "You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible!" His face settled into one of indifference.

"Besides, Specters are trouble. I don't like having him on-board. Call me paranoid."

"You're paranoid. The council helped fund this project. They have the right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment." Kaiden spoke with mirth.

Joker gave a nod as he adjusted the ship slightly. "Yeah, that's the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."

John understood that since he had _already_ done this _shakedown_. "They don't send specters on shakedown runs, Kaiden."

Joker again gave a nod. "So there's more going on here than the captain's letting on."

Just then a voice came through the speakers behind the screens that John gave a small unnoticeable smile to._ 'Anderson…'_

"Joker! Status report."

Joker leaned forward as if the voice gave him a command to do so. "Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid." He spoke professionally.

"Good. Find us a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime."

"Aye, aye, Captain. Better brace yourself. I think Nihlus is headed your way."

"He's already _here_, lieutenant." One could hear the exasperation in his voice.

Joker gave a small shake of the head before Anderson's voice came through the speakers again. "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."

John gave a nod as he turned away. "I'm on my way." _'Now it's time to talk with Nihlus.'_

Joker watched him walk away before getting to his piloting again. "The captain always sounds a little pissed off." Kaiden gave him a small grin as he spoke. "Only when he's talking to _you,_ Joker." He said with mirth.

His response was a single finger held in the air.

Kaiden laughed.

OoO

The door chimed as John walked up to and through it. He saw Nihlus looking at pictures of the planet that those of humanity call 'paradise', Eden Prime. Nihlus turned and crossed his arms. "Commander Shepard. I was hoping you would get here first. It will give us a chance to talk."

Shepard's eyes narrowed slightly at the Turian. "Where is Captain Anderson?" The Turian gave a small huff that was almost inaudible, but john heard it. "He's on his way here now."

John nodded and mimicked Nihlus with crossing his arms. "So what did you want to talk about?"

This was where the Turian slightly tense and unfold his arms as he paced the area in front of John. "I'm interested in this world we're going to…Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful." John nodded. "So have I. Though, I've never been there myself."

"Indeed. Eden Prime has become somewhat of a symbol for your people hasn't it? It is proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but protect them as well. But how safe is it, really…?"

John ran everything that was said through his mind for the second time in his life and responded as he did the first time. "Is that a threat, Specter?"

Nihlus gave his head a shake in the negative before responding. "Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is humanity and the Alliance _truly_ ready for this?"

It doesn't matter if we are or aren't ready Nihlus. What matters is that if we were to somehow lose some of our colonies near the terminus systems. Than we adapt, we survive and we persevere as a race. _That_ is all that matters." The Turian gave a nod to that. "Well said, Commander."

The sound of the door to the room chiming was heard by the two as Anderson made his way toward them. "I think it's time we told the commander what's _really_ going on."

Nihlus uncrossed his arms and made his way forward toward the two humans. "Indeed. This is more than a simple shakedown run, Commander." John replied as if he were talking to a child. "I had already figured that out. They don't send Specters on shakedown runs of ships, even one that the council invested in."

Nihlus looked to Anderson with what John knew from knowing Garrus's facial expressions as amusement. "You were right. He is a smart ass."

Anderson gave a simple snort in mirth. "Be that as it may. We need to get back on the subject of why you're here. We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That's why we need the stealth systems operational."

John set himself into a stiff stance of attention. "What's the cargo, Captain?"

"A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation…It was Prothean." John nodded as he spoke. "The civilization that died out fifty-thousand years ago correct?"

Nihlus gave him a small smirk and a slight raise of the head in acknowledgement as Anderson once again nodded. "Yes, that is correct. This is big, Shepard. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two-hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the citadel for proper study."

Nihlus stepped up and gave the captain a look as if asking for permission, to which he was given. "Obviously this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in council space." John looked to Nihlus as if scrutinizing him.

"You sound worried. As if you're expecting trouble…"

Nihlus gave Shepard a small frown as he crossed his arms once again. "I'm _always_ expecting trouble." John gave the Turian a smile and held out his hand. "If you had said anything different, you would have lost a lot of my respect."

Nihlus smiled in appreciation as he shook John's hand. "Thank you, Shepard."

Anderson cut in once again as he spoke professionally, but also carefully. "That is not the only reason Nihlus is here, Shepard. He's also here to evaluate you."

Shepard raised a brow in mock surprise. "Captain?"

Nihlus crossed his arms again as he spoke. "I put your name forward as a candidate for the specters, Commander Shepard. You held off an army single-handedly during the Blitz. That shows not only incredible talent, but a sound mind as well. That's why I put your name forward for the specters."

John bowed his head slightly in respect which he received in return. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need to give a report on your skills myself, Commander. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together."

'_Damn right it will. This time _everyone_ comes back alive!'_ John thought with his eyes slightly narrowed at nothing, but still gave Nihlus a nod. "Understood."

"You'll be in charge of the ground team, Shepard. Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission." Anderson said.

"Understood, Captain." John said.

Anderson nodded. "We should be nearing Eden-"

"Captain…we've got a problem!" Jokers voice exclaimed through the PA system.

"What is it, Joker?!"

"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this."

All three of the occupants of the room turned toward the monitor at the back of the room. "Bring it on screen, Joker." Anderson ordered.

The sound of gun fire was immediately identified as the video began. Explosions all over the place as Alliance marines fought against whoever their opponent is. The camera turned toward a marine who appeared to be female in white and pink armor as she fired a burst from her rifle before running and pushing the cameraman to the ground.

"GET DOWN!" She barked as she once again began to fire at the enemy. The camera swooped around the battlefield for several more second showing more explosions and marines fighting before it was directed to what was assumed to be the commanding officer.

"We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. I repeat: Heavy casualties! We can't…SHIT…need EVAC! They came out of nowhere! We need-"

The three watched as the marine looked up horrified for a second as the other marines did and the camera swung around to show a massive ship with what looked like arms extending to land. Then all of a sudden the marines began to retreat as explosions even bigger than the last rang out through the battlefield taking chunks out of the marines and the landscape.

Then the screen cuts to static…

Joker's voice came through again disturbingly calm. "Everything cuts out after that. No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing."

Anderson tensed up as he spoke. "Reverse and hold at thirty-eight point five."

The screen pooped up to show the ship attacking Eden Prime. Nihlus's two lower mandibles clicked. And John's eyes narrowed in anger. _'Soon you son of a bitch, soon I will destroy you.'_

Anderson's voice knocked the two of them back to attention. "Status report!"

Joker's voice cut through in his professional manner again. "Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area."

Anderson nodded in acknowledgement even if Joker couldn't see it. "Take us in, Joker. Nice and quiet."

"Roger that, Captain."

The PA system clicked as Joker turned it off and Anderson spoke once again. "This mission just got a whole lot more complicated."

Nihlus cut in as well. "A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention. It's the best chance we have at securing the beacon."

John jumped in before the captain could speak. "I'll get Alenko and Jenkins to meet me in the cargo hold." He began making his way toward the door sending a few last words over his shoulder as he went. "See you there, Nihlus."

OoO

The SSV-Normandy made its way into the atmosphere.

"_Stealth systems engaged."_ Joker's voice called.

The Normandy flew its way over the colony as the strike team got themselves ready during last minute preparations.

Anderson walked up to the group and began the briefing. "Your team's the muscle in this mission, Commander. Go in hard and heavy and head straight for the dig site." Kaiden spoke out as the cargo bay doors began to lower. "What about survivors, Captain?!"

Anderson shook his head. "The beacon is your first priority, Understood?!"

"Roger that, Captain!"

Jenkins looked over as Nihlus came into sight. "Nihlus! You're coming with us?!"

The specter checked over his shotgun one last time and made his way toward the back. "I move faster on my own!"

John opened a private channel with the Turian and spoke with caution. "Nihlus…I have a bad feeling about this mission…I think we should stick together for this one."

The specter stopped and turned toward Shepard with what looked like a face of confusion. "What kind of bad feeling?" John looked Nihlus in the eyes with complete seriousness, trying to convey just how big this way to him. "Skyllian Blitz bad, Nihlus…"

The Turian's eyes widened a fraction and his face turned grim for a moment before nodding to John. "Understood, Commander. What would you suggest that we do?"

John looked at him thankfully before he spoke. "We go in fast and hard and use our experience in battle to overwhelm any odds that come at us." Nihlus nodded. "Understood, Commander Shepard."

With a nod back to the Turian, John turned to Anderson. "We're going together, Captain!"

Anderson spoke with a commanding bark. "You're in charge of this mission, Commander. Get the job done!"

Roger that, sir! We'll get it done!" John spoke as he made his way to the doors next to Nihlus and the rest of the group and jumped out as Joker spoke that they were at the drop point.

Anderson watched them go with a solemn face. "Good luck, Commander. I feel you'll need it…"

OoO

**Holy Shit! 3,300 words! I haven't written a chapter like this in a long time!**

**First off I'm going to get some things out of the way.**

**Vandread Survival: is being rewritten and reposted as soon as I'm done with it. I made so many mistakes with names and gear that I found it hard to read it!**

**Next, my My Life Is A What!: Fic is up for adoption. So if someone wants it PM me and it's yours. First Come, First Serve!**

**Hiccup's Big Change: is being rewritte as well as I found many mistakes where I was going to add Roughnut into the romance, but decided against it and still has evidence to point to this fact.**

**Thanks for reading guys and girls! You know the drill!**

**Review this BITCH!**


End file.
